PCB names former cricketers to assist selector Wahab Riaz

F.P. Report

LAHORE: The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) have named retired players as consultant members to chief selector Wahab Riaz.

PCB has confirmed the appointment of former Pakistan cricketers Kamran Akmal, Rao Iftikhar Anjum, and Salman Butt as consultant members to chief selector Wahab Riaz.

Their appointment comes into place with immediate effect and their first assignment includes the upcoming five-match T20I series against New Zealand, starting on 12 January 2024 after the end of the Australia tour.

The trio was part of Pakistan’s successful ICC Men’s T20 World Cup campaign back in 2009.

Akmal and Anjum have had their share of selection duties previously. Earlier this year, Akmal was appointed chair of PCB’s Junior Selection Committee. He was also named chair of an eight-member selection committee that will carry out trials for Under-13, Under-16, and Under-19 teams to choose regional and district teams.

Meanwhile, when Shahid Afridi was named interim chief selector of the Pakistan men’s national team alongside Abdul Razzaq later last year, Anjum was part of the three-man committee.

However, this is Butt’s first official position with the PCB since he was handed a ban in 2010 for his role in the spot-fixing scandal.

The announcement comes in the wake of a complete overhaul of the PCB after Pakistan’s early departure from the ICC Men’s Cricket World 2023.

Since then, Mohammad Hafeez has been appointed as the Team Director, and Wahab Riaz named as the Chief Selector. Babar Azam also stepped down as captain, with Shan Masood confirmed as the new Test captain and Shaheen Afridi named T20I captain.